2001 FORD TAURUS tow

The following warning may be required by California law:
CALIFORNIA Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING:Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and
certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. In addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or emit chemicals known
to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
ICONS
Indicates a safety alert. Read the
following section onWarnings.
Indicates vehicle information related
to recycling and other
environmental concerns will follow.
Correct vehicle usage and the
authorized disposal of waste
cleaning and lubrication materials are significant steps towards
protecting the environment.
Indicates a message regarding child
safety restraints. Refer toSeating
and safety restraintsfor more
information.
Indicates that this Owner Guide
contains information on this subject.
Please refer to the Index to locate
the appropriate section which will
provide you more information.
Introduction
2

Service engine soon
Your vehicle is equipped with a
computer that monitors the engine's
emission control system. This
system is commonly known as the
On Board Diagnostics System (OBD II). The OBD II system protects the
environment by ensuring that your vehicle continues to meet
government emission standards. The OBD II system also assists the
service technician in properly servicing your vehicle.
The
indicator light illuminates when the ignition is first turned to
the ON position to check the bulb. If it comes on after the engine is
started, one of the engine's emission control systems may be
malfunctioning. The light may illuminate without a driveability concern
being noted. The vehicle will usually be drivable and will not require
towing.
What you should do if thelight illuminates
Light turns on solid:
This means that the OBD II system has detected a malfunction.
Temporary malfunctions may cause your
light to illuminate.
Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel. (The engine may misfire or run
poorly.)
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been properly installed and securely
tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with high quality fuel of the recommended octane and/or properly
installing and securely tightening the gas cap. After three driving
cycles without these or any other temporary malfunctions present,
the
light should turn off. (A driving cycle consists of a cold engine
startup followed by mixed city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle
service is required.
If the
light remains on, have your vehicle serviced at the first
available opportunity.
Instrumentation
10

HEADLAMP CONTROL
Rotate the headlamp control to the
first position to turn on the parking
lamps. Rotate to the second position
to also turn on the headlamps.
Daytime running lamps (DRL) (if equipped)
Turns the headlamps on with a reduced output. To activate:
²the ignition must be in the ON position and
²the headlamp control is in the OFF or Parking lamps position.
Always remember to turn on your headlamps at dusk or during
inclement weather. The Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) system
does not activate with your tail lamps and generally may not provide
adequate lighting during these conditions. Failure to activate your
headlamps under these conditions may result in a collision.
High beams
²Push forward to activate.
²Pull toward you to deactivate.
Flash to pass
Pull toward you to activate and
release to deactivate.
A
Controls and features
17

²Terrain.Hills, mountains and tall buildings between your vehicle's
antenna and the radio station signal can cause FM reception problems.
Static can be caused on AM stations by power lines, electric fences,
traffic lights and thunderstorms. Moving away from an interfering
structure (out of its ªshadowº) returns your reception to normal.
²Station overload.Weak signals are sometimes captured by stronger
signals when you pass a broadcast tower. A stronger signal may
temporarily overtake a weaker signal and play while the weak station
frequency is displayed.
The audio system automatically switches to single channel reception if it
will improve the reception of a station normally received in stereo.
Audio system warranties and service
Refer to theWarranty Guidefor audio system warranty information.
If service is necessary, see your dealer or a qualified technician.
POWER ADJUSTABLE FOOT PEDALS (IF EQUIPPED)
The accelerator and brake pedal
should only be adjusted when the
vehicle is stopped and the gearshift
lever is in the P(Park) position.
Press and hold the rocker control
(located on the side of the driver's
seat) to adjust accelerator and
brake pedal.
²Press the rear side of the control to adjust the pedals toward you.
²Press the front side of the control to adjust the pedals away from you.
The adjustment allows for approximately 76 mm (3 inches) of maximum
travel.
Never adjust the accelerator and brake pedal with feet on pedals
or while the vehicle is moving.
PEDALS
Controls and features
51

TILT STEERING
Pull the tilt steering control toward
you to move the steering wheel up
or down. Hold the control while
adjusting the wheel to the desired
position, then release the control.
Never adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving.
REPLACING THE INTERIOR BULBS
Check the operation of the following interior bulbs frequently:
²interior overhead lamp
²map lamp
For bulb replacement, see a dealer or qualified technician.
Dome lamps and map lamps
The front dome lamp is located overhead between the driver and
passenger seats. If the vehicle is equipped with a moon roof, the dome
lamp is located behind the moon roof.
The dome lamp will stay on if the
control is moved to the passenger
side position. When the control is in
the middle position, the lamp will
only come on when a door is
opened. If the control is moved to
the driver's side position, the lamp
will not come on at all.
Controls and features
58

CENTER CONSOLE
Your vehicle may be equipped with a variety of console features. These
include:
²Utility compartment
²Bin mat (snap-in)
²Cupholders (front and rear)
²Coin holder slots
²Compact disc changer (if equipped)
²Tissue holder
²Rear A/C vent
²Rear ashtray (see your Ford, Lincoln Mercury dealer to obtain rear
ashtray
Use only soft cups in the cupholder. Hard objects can injure you
in a collision.
If your vehicle is equipped with the column shift and a bench seat, it has
a center console in the center front seating position.
The center console has similar features as the full console. To open the
storage compartment, raise the armrest and pull the strap on the seat up
and toward the front of the vehicle. The rear seat area is provided with
dual cupholders.
POSITIVE RETENTION FLOOR MAT
Position the floor mat so that the
eyelet is over the pointed end of the
retention post and rotate forward to
lock in. Make sure that the mat does
not interfere with the operation of
the accelerator or the brake pedal.
To remove the floor mat, reverse the
installation procedure.
Controls and features
65

To install the shade:
1. Fasten the cover into the
mounting brackets (make sure the
cover is right side up).
2. Pull the end of the shade toward
you and hook the sides into the
notches (right side first) in the rear
trim panels.
To reduce the risk of
injuries, the fasteners for
cargo area cover must be properly
attached to the mounting clips on
the rear trim panels.
Do not place any objects on the cargo area cover. They may
obstruct your vision or strike occupants of the vehicle in the
case of a sudden stop or collision.
The cover may cause injury in a sudden stop or accident if it is
not securely installed.
Rewinding the shade
With extended use, the cargo shade may lose its spring tension. If this
occurs, the shade must be manually rewound. This is a two-person
operation.
1. Remove the shade from the vehicle and extend it with the smooth
grain facing you.
Controls and features
68

2. Wrap the vinyl around the roller
tube twice. Tuck the edges of the
vinyl inside the end cap with each
wrap.
3. Fold the edges of the vinyl
towards the center, making sure
that the edges clear the end cap
slots. Use tape or a rubber band to
hold the vinyl to the left side of the
tube.
4. Push in the right end cap
(marked RH) about
1¤4of the total
length to disengage the clutch and
hold the end cap in while turning
the roller tube toward you 14 times.
5. Let go of the right end cap. The
clutch will now engage and stop the
shade from losing its spring tension.
6. Unfold the vinyl and place it into
the end cap slots.
7. Insert the shade into the side mounting brackets and check to make
sure that it operates properly.
The cover may cause injury in a sudden stop or accident if it is
not securely installed.
Cargo utility hooks (Sedan)
The utility hooks located in side the trunk can be used to attach a cargo
net to secure lightweight objects or hang small items on. Do not hang
more than 12 kg (20 lbs) on the hooks. The hooks are not designed to
restrain objects during a collision.
REMOTE ENTRY SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules and with RS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device
must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Controls and features
69